Missing - Adam Nicholls (ready player one ebook txt) 📗
- Author: Adam Nicholls
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Book online «Missing - Adam Nicholls (ready player one ebook txt) 📗». Author Adam Nicholls
“Sure, Dad. Here.” She popped open an umbrella and handed it to Mason, who held her close and sheltered them both as best he could.
At the pizza parlor they took a seat by the window and watched the rain hammering down. It was one of his favorite things to do.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Amy asked with the same enthusiasm she’d always had. She was growing up to be so bright, and Mason couldn’t be more thankful she hadn’t turned out like most teenagers. Not yet, at least.
“It is.”
“So… pizza?” Amy asked, gesturing at the menu. “Though that’s not really why you’re here. Are you coming home today?”
Mason didn’t know how to respond. The truth was brutal. “I should. It is my house, after all. Don’t you think?”
Amy nodded, watching him, as if expecting something more.
Mason studied her expression. “You know something.”
“No more than you,” Amy replied. “I was on the stairs last night. I heard every word you both said. You know, it’s okay to tell Mom to take a chill pill. I’ll love you no matter what, Dad.”
One of the things Mason loved most about his daughter was that she always saw the more simple side of things, the type of person to look past the metaphor and cut straight to the point. “Thanks. So, has she mentioned me?”
“Who?”
“Your mom.”
“Oh, no. Well…”
Mason’s ears pricked up. “What?”
Amy held her temples with stiffened fingers. “She wanted to tell you in her own time.”
“What?”
“Joshua is moving in already. That’s why I want you there.” She stared down at her lap. “I don’t like that she’s replacing you already, Dad. I don’t want this.”
“Wait, slow down… Joshua is moving in?”
“Yeah, but—”
“The fucking Pilates instructor?”
“Language, Dad.” Amy had been trying to wean him out of his bad language habit lately, but it was hard to keep a lid on it right now.
“Sorry.” The last thing he’d expected from today was to find out his wife had been having an affair. For now, he could try to stifle his anger, in spite of everything in his body urging him to throw a fit.
Ignoring the rain, Sandra strode down the driveway with the phone to her ear. “She’s just returned. Thanks for your time.” As soon as she hung up, she checked Amy was okay and sent her inside the house.
“She was with me,” Mason said.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What am I doing?” he yelled. “What are you doing, moving a new goddamn boyfriend in already? It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours!”
Sandra went red in the face as the rain matted her hair to her forehead. Her voice lowered. “I’ve been wanting to end this for a while.”
Mason pushed past her and headed up the drive, overtaking Amy. “Is he here now?”
“Mason. No, Mason,” Sandra pleaded, but with no effect.
Determined to find the guy and do him some real damage, Mason stormed inside the house and searched from room to room while Sandra screamed at him.
“Get out or I’ll call the police!”
“Sure,” Mason said. “Call my ex-colleagues and tell them I’ve stepped foot inside my own house. Good move.”
He continued scanning the rooms, but deep inside he didn’t really want to find Joshua, as finding him would confirm his wife’s infidelity. On the other hand, seeing him would remove all doubt, and he could no longer be played for a fool.
“He isn’t here, Mason. For God’s sake!” Sandra yelled at him and edged him out of the house as much as she could manage.
“Whatever.” Mason was just beginning to believe her when he heard the grumble of a car’s engine. A quick peek through the window revealed it to be Joshua’s car. He stormed outside and marched toward it, his fists clenched into tight balls.
“Joshua!” Sandra called—a warning call that did nothing.
From the corner of his eye, Mason saw another car pull up, but he only had eyes for Joshua. Before the new boyfriend knew what was happening Mason opened the door and dragged him out. He pinned him against the side of the car and planted a fist into the guy’s stomach.
Joshua let out a little oof.
“Stop it!” Amy yelled from somewhere behind him, but it wasn’t enough.
Mason mashed the guy in the face once, twice. Each delicious punch painted his knuckles red with nasal blood, and he felt the rage consuming him. After the fifth punch landed, he felt a strong grip around his arms as somebody pulled him back.
“Calm down, buddy. Cool it.”
Joshua slumped to the floor, cowering down and holding his bloodied face.
Mason wrangled out of the grip and spun around to see Bill, realizing it must have been his car he saw pull up. “Get off me!”
“Mason. Mason! Calm down. Look at the girl.”
Mason glanced at Amy and felt a wave of shame. Tears welled in her eyes, and she was shaking, drenched in the rain and embarrassed at the spectacle she’d just witnessed. He’d always tried to remain the more stable parent and couldn’t imagine how helpless she must have felt right then.
“Come on. Let’s get you out of here.” Bill showed him to the car.
As they moved, Mason turned and got one last look at Sandra. She hadn’t run to Mason, nor to their daughter, but to the bleeding coward on the ground who had broken up a family.
It was a bad time for the car to break down.
Although the rain had stopped for the first time in days, Susan Chance could see another thick cloud scudding their way. Desperately seeking help, she stepped out of the vehicle and tried to hail down one of the only cars she’d seen in the past hour.
“Please stop,” she whispered to herself, thrusting her thumb out as the car sped past and splashed a puddle up at her. “Damn!”
“Mommy, I’m hungry.” Tommy, her six-year-old, had cracked the window to lodge his complaint. It was as if it were the first time he’d announced it, although he’d been whining since they’d hit the road.
“I’m working on it, Tommy. Roll the window up, and wait for Mommy.”
In the distance Susan spotted an RV heading their way. Please be kind. She waved frantically, and thanked God when the driver slowed to a stop. The rainwater on the windshield obscured her view of the driver, but she was so grateful for the help and ran to the side as the window slid down.
“Thanks so much for stopping,” she said, flashing her best smile.
“No problem. You heading into the city?” The man was strange-looking, with bad teeth and thin, greasy strands of hair falling over his eyes. It wasn’t an especially trustworthy face, but it was the only one around for miles.
“Yes. And… I have a young boy. I hope that’s okay?”
The man stuck his head out of the window and looked over at the car.
Something didn’t seem right. He looked lost in the moment, his eyes glazing over, but just as suddenly he snapped out of it. “Of course,” he said. “Climb in.”
Susan grabbed Tommy and left the car with the hazard lights on, hoping she could return to it soon. Thunder cracked above them as they ran back to the RV and climbed in—Tommy in the middle, as he had a totally irrational fear of sitting next to the door.
“That’s it. I’ll get you there safely,” the man said as they drove farther down the empty road toward San Francisco.
“Thank you so much for the ride,” Susan said, looking around the cab of the RV. Clipped to the rearview mirror was a photo of a young black girl. “Is she your daughter?”
The driver looked at it. “Oh. Yeah. She got her looks from her mother. Skin color, too.” He laughed. “She was black as well.”
“Was?” Susan asked and could have slapped herself for
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